Yahoo Autos Volvo at CES announces Ride Pilot autonomy coming to California, deeper Google integration
Volvo just made a number of technology announcements at this year’s CES. We learned more about the company’s efforts toward autonomy, and in the near term, Volvo’s infotainment system is getting some noteworthy updates.
We’ll start with autonomy, and the system that Volvo is calling “Ride Pilot.” Volvo says it’s working with the autonomous driving software company Zenseact and Luminar to bring more autonomy to its future vehicles. Today, it announced that the “Ride Pilot” system that will ultimately arise from this collaboration will first be offered to customers in California before rolling it out in other regions. Volvo is limiting initial use to California, because it says "the climate, traffic conditions and regulatory framework provide a favorable environment for the introduction of autonomous driving."
The system will take full control of the car when it's on. That means the driver can do what they want, not limited to reading, writing or working, Volvo says.
"The name ‘Ride Pilot’ implies what the driver can expect: when the car is driving on its own, Volvo Cars takes responsibility for the driving, offering the driver comfort and peace of mind," Volvo explains.
It’ll be available as an add-on subscription service to a fully electric SUV that will be revealed later this year. How much it will cost per month or per year is still a mystery, but you won’t be able to factor it in with the standard purchase price of the vehicle. Said EV will be equipped with five radars, eight cameras and sixteen ultrasonic sensors.
